On The Doorstep
by TheSilverKey13
Summary: After growing up together in an orphanage, Lucy and Natsu end up going their separate ways in order to pursue their careers. Unfortunately for them fate has other plans. Will Natsu and Lucy be able to survive having a couple little "surprises" show up on their doorstep? Well anything can happen when you find a basket at your door! NaLu, Gruvia, GaLe
1. Chapter 1: Natsu's Past

**On The Doorstep**

**Chapter 1: Natsu's Beginning**

_llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllll_

_To Atlas é, formerly known as Atlas Dragneel_

_We are sorry to inform you, Atlas é, that your brother, Commander Igneous (Igneel) Dragneel, has been announced M.I.A after the base that he was stationed at was blown up during a surprise attack by enemy forces. Igneel was last seen rushing back into the destroyed base in an attempt to save those left inside; there were no more sightings after that. Unfortunately there is little to no hope for Commander Dragneel and we suggest that you and your fellow family members prepare for the worst. Once more, on behalf of the Royal Fiore Army, we apologize for the loss of your loved one and wish you and your family all the best._

_llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllll_

7 year old Natsu Dragneel could only watch as his Uncle Atlas began crying after reading the letter that the people, who dressed like his papa did, gave him when he answered the door.

Climbing up onto the couch cushion next to his uncle, Natsu peered over Atlas's shoulder and read the letter over silently in his head. Most of the letter didn't make much sense to his young mind but he had enough brain power to figure out that the letter was about his father. Natsu sat back against the arm of the couch and watched his uncle cry silently for a few minutes before asking his question.

"Uncle Atlas, what does M.I.A mean?" Natsu asked quietly.

Atlas froze at the sound of Natsu's voice and slowly turned to face the pink haired boy. Atlas's eyes had become puffy from his tear and his voice was scratchy when he spoke. "Natsu….." Atlas said, looking like he wanted to say more but he stopped, seemingly having an internal argument with himself before burying his face in his hands and leaning back against the couch. "Oh god Igneel, why did you have to go and be a hero? Huh? Do you see what you've done?! Why couldn't you have just…just….." Atlas trailed off before another wave of tears started pouring down his cheeks. Natsu sat silently across the couch from his uncle, unsure of what to do to help his uncle.

Slowly, Natsu made his way across the plush couch towards his uncle until they were practically touching. Natsu, deciding to listen to his instincts, wrapped his small arms as far as they could around his uncle. Natsu felt his uncle stiffen at the sudden contact but that just made Natsu hug him tighter.

"Don't cry uncle, I don't really understand what's going on but if it was something I did then I'm sorry for it" Natsu muttered quietly into his uncle's torso. Atlas sniffled slightly before pulling Natsu into a giant bear hug, resting his head on top of the boy's head.

"No Natsu it's not…..you haven't done anything it's just-" Atlas paused, releasing a tired sigh and pulled Natsu closer. "It's about your dad, Natsu. He…" his voice trailed off.

Natsu push against his uncle's chest so that he could look the older man in the eye.

"Uncle?"

Atlas took a deep breath and looked at Natsu.

"I'm sorry buddy but, your dad won't be coming home"

Natsu looked at his uncle, confused.

"Well when is he coming back?" Natsu asked, the implications of Atlas's answer went right over his head. Atlas inhaled slightly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"He's not coming back Natsu; Igneel, your dad, is with your mommy now" Atlas explained.

Natsu stared at his uncle, trying to wrap his head around what he was just told.

_How can daddy be with mommy? Dad said that mom died the day I was- _Then it hit him. His mommy was in heaven, according to his dad, and heaven was a place for-

"Daddy's gone isn't he?" Natsu asked, his voice hollow and dead sounding.

Atlas bit his lip, "Yeah buddy, your dad is gone" Atlas pulled Natsu into another hug, "He's in a better place now".

That was it, the flood gates opened and streams of tears poured down Natsu's cheeks as he clutched his uncle's shirt in his tiny hands, sobbing. "Shhhhhhh it's ok buddy" Atlas said trying to comfort the small child in his arms, "I got you, nothing's going to-" Atlas was cut short as a sudden coughing fit hit him.

Natsu leaned back in shock as he watched his uncle's body convulse with his coughs, Natsu's eyes wide and shiny from his tears. "U-Uncle?" he asked, worried about his uncle having his 4th coughing fit of the day. Atlas held a hand up to Natsu, "It's _cough _fine Natsu don't _cough _worry…" Atlas's voice trailed off as he glanced at the hand he had been using to cover his mouth.

Natsu followed his uncle's gaze until he saw what had caused his uncle to stop what he was saying.

His uncle's right hand, the one he used to cover his mouth, had a pool of blood in the palm of his hand. Atlas stared fearfully at the crimson liquid before looking up at Natsu, fear clearly written across his face.

"Call 911 Nat-" Atlas started but was unable to finish as his eyes suddenly rolled back in his head and he slumped back against the couch.

"Uncle?" Natsu said, shaking his unconscious uncle's shoulders.

"Uncle w-wake up this isn't funny!" Natsu cried, the tears started rolling down his face once again.

Panicking, Natsu grabbed the home phone that was sitting on a nearby table and quickly dialed 9-1-1 (the emergency services number for those who don't use 9-1-1).

"9-1-1 what is your emergency?" a monotone voice came over the other end of the line.

"HELP, MY UNCLE COUGHED UP BLOOD AND NOW HE WON'T WAKE UP!" Natsu cried into the phone, he heard the voice on the other end curse slightly. "Listen to me ok little guy? I'm sending help right away alright, so just stay where you are" the voice instructs him.

Natsu sucked in a quick breath and nodded, "O-Ok"

The world around him began to blur and everything seemed to go by in a flash, the sirens, driving to the hospital, sitting in the waiting room outside the surgery room. Until eventually he was lead into an almost empty room that consisted of a single bed, a chair, and a bunch of strange beeping machines.

At first he wondered why he was lead into this weird room but once he saw his uncle in the bed, all wonders went out the window. Natsu rushed over to the hospital bed and climbed up onto the chair so that he could see his uncle.

Cautiously he glanced back at the doorway and was met with the stares of the nurse and some business looking lady with a clip board.

A startling cough brought his attention back to his bed-ridden uncle. Reaching over, Natsu took his uncle's hand in his own.

"Uncle what's going on?" Natsu asked as he was met with the weak gaze of his unusually pale uncle.

"I'm sick Natsu" Atlas says, his voice coming out as a weak whisper.

Natsu looked pleadingly at his uncle, "But you'll get better…..right?"

Atlas shook his head, "No Natsu I won't, you see, I don't have much time left-"

"Why?" Natsu asked cutting Atlas off. The small boy had his head down, his shoulder shaking from his silent crying. "Why do you have to go too?" he asks heartbrokenly.

Atlas smiled softly at the boy he had come to think of as a son, "Fate works in many ways boy, and sometimes she sets us on a path that leads through many hardships". Atlas reached up and ruffled Natsu's soft pink locks, "A happy kid like you will do the world good, Natsu. Just you wait and see…."

Natsu glanced up at his uncle and sniffled, "I don't want you to go uncle" he said rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands. "First mommy, then daddy, and now you!" Natsu said, his voice getting gradually louder. "How can I possibly be happy if I don't have a family?!" he cried, glaring at his lap.

Atlas smiled sadly at the teary mess in front of him, using what little strength he had left, he raised his hand above Natsu's head and lightly brought his fist down on his head.

The sudden bonk of his uncle's fist against his head made Natsu's breath hitch. Reaching up he took his uncle's hand off his head and held Atlas's larger hand in his own smaller ones.

"Natsu"

Natsu glanced up at his uncle at the sound of his name. Atlas smiled at him, "Make one" he says.

Natsu blinks the tears from his eyes and shoots his uncle a confused look.

"Make what, uncle?" he asks.

Atlas chuckles, "A family my dear boy, family isn't merely defined by blood" he says smiling, "a family is made of people who know you better than anyone else, they are people who stick with you through thick or thin, and most importantly…." Atlas paused making sure he had Natsu's full attention, "they are the people whom you hold dearest in your heart".

Natsu stared at his uncle, absorbing every word his uncle said. He frowned slightly, "but uncle I don't have anyone like that other than you" he argued.

Atlas smiled, he reached behind Natsu's head and pulled the boy's head closer before leaning forward and kissing the top of Natsu's head. Leaning back into the bed he chuckled at shocked look on his nephew's face, "You will someday Natsu, just you wait and see".

There was little warning before Natsu launched himself into his uncle's arms. The sudden impact winded Atlas slightly, but he didn't mind, instead he wrapped his arms once again around the now sobbing by and held him close.

Eventually all the crying left Natsu exhausted and he soon fell asleep in the safety of Atlas's arms.

Atlas smiled and pressed his forehead into the top of Natsu's head.

_You'll have to go through many trails because of us Natsu, and for that I can never be more sorry _Atlas thought to himself sadly. Atlas turned his gaze to the window and glared out at the night sky. _You'd better be ready to watch over and guide this amazing kid, Igneel, or I swear when I get up there I'm going to kick your paranormal ass half way across hell._

A pit formed at the bottom of Atlas's stomach when he felt the edges of his vision begin to black.

With one final glance at his salmon haired nephew, Atlas's eye's slid shut for a final time.

"Good luck buddy"

**BBBBBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP**

Natsu awoke to an annoyingly long continuous beep coming from one of the machines attached to his uncle.

"Mmm uncle what's that noise?" he mumbled rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

…

"Uncle?"

…...

Natsu looked up at the "resting" figure of his uncle. His eyes once again began to swell with tears. Behind him, Natsu could hear the sound to the door opening and people rushing in, but he couldn't find it in him to care.

"Uncle, wake up!" he cried, shaking one of Atlas's arms to 'wake him up'

"Get him out of here" Natsu heard a woman behind him say and a pair of large arms wrapped around Natsu.

His immediate reaction was to fight back. "Let go of me!" he cried as he kicked against his captors hold. Unfortunately for him, his captor was much stronger than him and was easily following their orders.

"Uncle help me!" he cried reaching out for his uncle in a futile attempt to reach him.

Standing next to his uncle were two nurses and the business lady from before. One of the nurses took his uncle's wrist in her hand and pressed against it. A moment passed before she shook her head, both she and the other nurse grabbed an end of the blanket and pulled it up so that it covered his uncle's face.

_No, i-it can't…_Natsu felt his whole world shatter as the door to the hospital room closed behind him and his captor.

"**UNCLE!"**

2 Days Later…

Natsu found himself standing in front of the gates that lead to "New Beginnings Orphanage" or at least that's what the archway over the gate said.

He looked over at his case worker Susan, the business woman from the hospital, and glared accusingly at her.

"You said I was going home" he said, venom practically dripping from his voice as his glare was met with a sickly sweet smile.

"_Oh but honey, this is your home!" _Susan said in a way too peppy voice. Natsu just glared at her, and picked his bag of belongings up off the ground and trudged towards the gate. He had been arguing with that happy-go-lucky woman for the whole of yesterday and had learned that there was no way out of what was happening to him.

That didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"_Don't you worry sweetie, you'll absolutely LOVE it here! Why just the other week I-" _

"Hey Susan?" Natsu said cutting her off.

"_Yes darling? What is it?" _

Natsu paused before turning and shooting her his coldest, darkest, most hateful glare.

"Fuck off would you?"

Susan's cheerful expression dropped as her jaw practically smacked against the sidewalk. Any other time, Natsu would have laughed at her expression but he didn't feel like laughing anymore. Heck he didn't really feel like doing anything anymore.

Wordlessly Natsu turned on his heel and marched up the concrete steps that led to the bright red door of his "home".

With one final glance at the sunny sky above him, Natsu opened the door and walked inside. The person he had once been was forgotten.

There was no more Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel, happy kid that lived with his equally cheerful uncle Atlas while his dad served over seas.

Now there was only Natsu Dragneel, an orphan, silent and alone.

_Author's Notes_

_**THE STORY GETS HAPPIER I PROMISE!**_

_Hey everybody hope you liked the first chapter of my new story! For those who follow the things I write then you know I am currently fighting a sickness that causes major depression._

_It was suggested to me to write a story that could help me let out some of that negative energy. So I thought of doing this one._

_**TELL ME IF YOU LIKED THE STORY AND I SHALL CONTINUE IT!**_

_**NEXT CHAPTER! CHAPTER 2: LUCY'S DISPAIR**_


	2. Chapter 2: Lucy's Past

For a 8 year old, Lucy Heartfilia knew her way around the hospital a little too well for someone her age.

The small blonde haired girl ran down the white and beige painted hallways, her worn down backpack bouncing as she ran. Soon enough her destination was within sight; a flower door, painted by her, with a sign hanging on the outside.

Rm. 203 - Layla Heartfilia was written and decorated in light pink erasable marker.

Prying open the door as quietly as possible, Lucy snickered to herself and crouched down, sticking close to the shadows as she silently crept closer to the only bed in the room.

The room didn't consist of much. There was a good sized hospital bed against one of the walls. There were tracks along the ceiling in order to move the curtains around so that if the person in the room wanted privacy then they could have it.

Just like now, Lucy's view of the bed was blocked by curtains attached to the ceiling that surrounded the area the bed sat in. Luckily for her there was a light behind the curtains, giving off a dark outline of what, or who, was inside the bed area.

There in the bed, lay an unmoving figure wrapped in blankets.

Tiptoeing up to the bed Lucy gathered the edge of curtain in her small hand and took a deep breath. In one flowing movement, Lucy threw open the curtain and jumped on the bed inside.

"SURPRISE MAMA!" she cried as she landed on the "person" in the bed.

To Lucy's surprise she didn't land on her mother as she had expected. Instead she had landed on pillows wrapped in blankets instead. Grabbing a pillow in either hand, Lucy looked down at them, confusion written across her face. If no one was in the bed then where was her m-

"GOTCHA!" Layla Heartfilia shouted, appearing from behind the curtain on the other side of the bed and wrapping her arms around her now startled daughter.

Lucy let out a startled squeak as her mother practically scared the living daylights out of her.

"Momma!" Lucy whined as her mother sat them on the bed and began to practically smother her in kisses.

"Layla you know you shouldn't be moving around like that" a stern masculine voice called from the doorway causing both blonde females to look up at the familiar figure leaning against the door frame. There, silhouetted in the white light from the highway, was Jude Heartfilia, businessmen, father, and husband.

"Hi Papa!" Lucy greeted her father, who she may or may not have left in the parking lot when she ran into the hospital.

"Hello Jude darling, don't such a stick in the mud, we were just having a little fun" Layla reassured her husband.

Jude smiled despite himself and joined his two girls on the edge of the bed.

"Papa" Lucy whined crawling over to her father and pulling herself onto his lap, "Mama scared me! She wasn't being very nice"

"Lucy honey what exactly would you call what you were attempting to do when you yourself were creeping around the room?" Layla pointed out, a smug smile on her face.

"…..at least I wasn't hiding behind a curtain and leaving decoys in my place" Lucy muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

Suddenly Lucy perked up and began rummaging through her backpack.

"Mama I almost forgot!" Lucy pulled out some slightly wrinkled sheets of paper from her bag. "The teachers told me to give these to you and Papa so that you could look this over".

Lucy handed over the stapled booklet over to her parent who looked over the sheet. It was some sort of evaluation test and a letter that was stapled to the back. On the front of the test was a 100% written in red pen.

"Lucy what is this?" Layla asked, looking up from the sheet and at her child.

Lucy smiled happily, "We were told to do that test" she pointed at the papers, "and when I got it back they gave me the letter as well and told me to tell the both of you" she explained, shrugging her shoulders.

"Layla look at this" Jude cut in, drawing in his wife's attention.

Turning back to the papers, Layla read over the letter that was attached to the back of the test.

**/**

**Dear Mr. and Mrs. Heartfilia**

**Every year the city of Magnolia does an evaluation of the students in each grade of each school.**

**Now usually we, the board, receive some good results from this test but your daughter has beaten the odds.**

**Not only has she managed to get a perfect score on a test that was supposed to be for the grade above hers.**

**We send this letter in regards to your daughter's future education.**

**We would like for you to consider placing your child in a more advanced grade.**

**Please notify the school once you have come to a conclusion or are in need of more information.**

**Signed, Magnolia Board of Education**

**/**

Huge smiles engulfed her parents' faces.

"Lucy that's amazing!" Layla cried, once again suffocating her daughter in a bear hug.

"Nmphdphnm" Lucy tried to speak but when your face is being squished it makes it kind of hard to speak.

Deciding to save his child from getting cuddled to death. Jude grabbed Lucy from around the waist and lifted her from her mother's grasp.

"What were you saying Lucy?" Jude asked, setting Lucy down on his lap.

"I said, I did it for Mama!" Lucy explained, looking up at her parents expectantly.

Layla frowned in confusion, "For me?" she asked.

"Yep! The teacher told me that if I wanna be a doctor then I hafta get really good marks!"

"You want to be a doctor?"

"Yeah that way I can make Mama better! Isn't that right Papa?"

Jude looked down at his daughter sadly, "Yeah honey that's right" he said in a dejected tone. His rough hand inched across the bed and clasped around Layla's smaller, softer hand.

Layla looked down at their entwined hands and smiled sadly.

"Lucy honey" Layla said, her gaze not moving from their hands, "could you go and get us some candy from the vending machine?"

Lucy looked back and forth between her parents, the solemn look on both their faces was enough for her to understand.

"Ok Mama" She answered quietly, jumping down from her father's lap and made her way over to the bedside table, where her mother always kept spare change for her to buy things from the candy machine.

Grabbing a fist full of quarters she walked over to the door and pulled it open.

Turning slightly she looked back her parents, who waved at her with forced smiles on their faces, before slowly easing the door closed behind her. The door shutting with a faint _click_

Back inside the room Layla and Jude both released the breaths that they had both been holding.

"How long Layla?" Jude questioned almost immediately, his tone dark.

Layla shot her husband a pleading look, "Jude I don't think-"

"**How long Layla?**" he repeated, his teeth ground together. His hands, now no longer holding hers, were bunched into fists at his side.

Layla looked at Jude sadly, her gaze dropping to her lap, unable to look him in the eye.

"They gave me till the end of week Jude" she replied, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back the tears, "oh gods I'm so s-sorry Jude, I d-didn't kn-"

Jude cut his wife off, pulling her into a tight embrace as she began to cry.

"Don't, don't you dare" a sudden sob ripped through his throat, cutting off his words, "don't you dare apologise for this. T-there was no way…..no way…" his voice trailed off.

There they sat, holding each other tight, crying the tears that the dared not show in front of their child.

Layla being the emotionally stronger of the two held back her cries and wiped away her tears.

"Jude" she said cupping the sides of his face in her hands a moving his head up to meet hers. They sat there for a moment, regaining their breaths, pressing their foreheads together. Neither wanted to release their hold on the other, the reality that it could be the last time was much too real.

Layla had been diagnosed with an unknown sickness that deteriorated the heart and lungs. It was a fatal disease with no cure.

Once they learned of Layla's sickness the both of them had decided to keep the amount of time that Layla had left, secret from Lucy

The two of them had been following through with their promise.

Or so they had thought.

For just outside their door stood a little blonde girl, tears streaming down her face as she held back any noise that she could accidentally make. Her small hands were balled into fists as she cried silently, as she listened to the sounds of family's weeping.

_One year later…_

A now 9 year old Lucy Heartfilia stands on a grassy hill. The land littered with different shaped stones, just like the two in front of her.

**Here lies Layla Heartfilia. Proud mother and wife. Loved in sickness and in health. X664 – X696**

**Here lies Jude Heartfilia. Loving husband and father. Lost but not forgotten. X663 – X697**

Not long after her mother had lost her battle with the sickness, Lucy's father was killed in a hit and run a year later.

Leaving Lucy Heartfilia alone in the world.

"_Are you ready to go yet sweetie? Your new home awaits!" _said her social worker Susan, with her high pitched voice.

Lucy grasped at the golden locket around her neck. It was a heart shaped pendent that opened up. On one side was a picture of the three of them. Her mother, her father, and her.

On the other side was an engraving.

It read: _Only a life lived for others, is a life worth living_

Her father had given it to her at her mother's funeral the past year.

Yet now here she was, saying good bye to her parents once more before she was sent off to the orphanage. She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly where this Susan lady was taking her.

Grabbing her suitcase, Lucy took one last lingering glance at her family's final resting place before following the social worker down the hill. Her only connection to her past clutched tightly in her hand.

Lucy Heartfilia was now alone.

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone here's the next chapter, hope you like it!**

**Also, sorry for the wait!**


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